Feeding attachment for polishing lathes



April 1949' v. c. CRAIG ET AL. 2,466,082

FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR POLISHING LATHES Filed April 8, '1947 Fig, :2

IN V EN TORS i rmzzy a 0mm mva rymw L. M awn/51v ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 5, 1949 Verley (Z). Graig and William L. McClennen,

Olympia, Wash.

Application Apr 8-,,19 7, SeriaIN 0,076

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a feeding attachment for polishing lathes or the like, and more particularly to an attachment adapted for the feeding of strip material, such as molding or the like, past bufier or polishing wheels.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved automatic feeding device for molding or the like adapted to pass the molding to be polished beneath buifer wheels in an improved and expedited manner.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a device which will pass the molding in a relatively straight line and hold the same firmly for polishing or bumng.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a device which may be readily adapted, substantially automatically, to molding of various widths and thicknesses.

Still another object of the invention is-the provision of such a device which will be sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble, and utilize.

Other objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of device embodying features of the instant invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, a molding being shown in position therein.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view showing the driving mechanism for the device.

Figure 4 is afragmentary side elevational view disclosing the relative position of one of the bufier wheels.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 2, but showing an attachment adapted to be utilized with the device in position thereon.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the device of the instant invention comprises a base IQ of any desired size and suitable material, at one end of which are rotatably mounted a pair of oppositely disposed driving pulleys I I, mounted on vertical axles l2. Secured to the axles l2 are a pair of meshing cogs l3 (see Figure 3), while one of the axles is provided with a bevel gear H,

adapted to mesh with the corresponding bevel gear I5 carried by the drive shaft N5 of an electric driving motor 11. Surrounding each of the pulleys H is a portion of a flexible steel feed belt l8. The opposite end of each feed belt [8 is rotatably mounted about one of a pair of idler pulleys l9, each of which is mounted on an axle 20.

It will now be seen that rotation of either of axles l2 by the associated motor will cause cor-- responding rotation of each pulley I I through the medium of the gears l3, and that such movement will occasion rotation of the pulleys and their associated belts l8 in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, in such manner that the adjacent faces of each belt are moved j in the same direction to feed therethrough any article passed therebetween.

Positioned on either side of the intermediate I "section of each belt 18 are a pair of oppositely disposed pressure bar-s 25, each provided with a longitudinally extending recess throughout the entire length thereof in which are journaled forrotation rollers 26 servingas' bearings for the belts l8. The opposite pressure bars 25 are connected by a plurality of transversely extending rods 21, each extendingoutwardly a substantial distance beyond the sides of the pressure bars,

- and each provided. at its opposite ends with compression springs 28 secured in' position, as by cotter pins 29, the arrangement being such as the top of its associated belt [8-, and beveled inwardly, as indicated at 30, to provide a relatively narrow supporting surface for a molding 3|, or the like, adapted to be passed between the belts [8.

In the use of the device, the assembly is adapted to be positioned beneath a series of longitudinally aligned buffer wheels, one of which is indicated at 35, each of which is mounted on a drive shaft-36 adapted to be rotated, as by means of an electric motor 31, or the like.

In the operation of the device, it will be readily understood that a molding 3| is adapted to be fed between the belts I8 from the end of the device, whereupon it is grasped by the oppositely disposed belts I8 and held firmly by virtue of the bias of springs 28 and the pressure bars 25. The molding 3|, or the like, is then passed beneath the buffer wheels 35, and when passed from the device at the opposite 'end thereof, is completely polished.

Various shapes and sizes of moldings or the like may be readily utilized with the device, and, under those circumstances where molding an exceptionally wide top surface, such as 3la (see Figure 5) is utilized, triangular strips l4 are adapted to be secured to the beveled faces l3 of pressure bars 25 in any desired manner, as by nails 4|, or the like, and extend substantially along the entire length thereof, for the purpose of providing added support for the wider mold- I mg.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that I of each belt and extending between the correthere is herein provided a device whichacco'm Dlishes all the objects of this invention, and" others, including many advantages :of great '15, practical ty and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore I:

shown and described, it isto be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a base, a pair of driven pulleys at one end of said base, a pair of idler pulleys at the other end of said base, a pair of belts extending in parallel relation between idler and driven pulleys, means for simultaneously rotating the driven pulleys in opposite directions to move the adjacent inner sides of the belts simultaneously in one direction,

pressure bars positioned oppositely inwardly of adjacent sides of the belts to bias said adjacent sides towards each-other, rollers carried by each pressure bar serving as bearings for the belts,

and spring means carried by said pressure bars biasing said bars towards each other.

2. In a device of the character described, a base, a pair of driven pulleys at one end of said base, a pair of idler pulleys at the other end of said base, a pair of belts extending in parallel relation between idler and driven pulleys, means for simultaneously rotating the driven pulleys in opposite directions to move the adjacent inner sides of the belts simultaneously in one direction; pressure bars positioned oppositely inwardly of adjacent sides of the belts to 'bias said adjacent sides towards each other, rollers carried by each pressure bar serving as bearings for the belts,

and spring means biasing said bars towards each other, said last-mentioned means including rods extending transversely through the pressure bars and beyond, cotter pins in the extremities of the rods and compression springs positioned between the cotter pins and their adjacent pressure bars.

3. In a strip polishing'machine comprising a base and a motor-driven bufier supported on said base, strip-feeding means comprising a pair sponding driven and idler pulleys, means driving'said driven pulleys in opposite directions to move the inner portions of said belts in the same direction longitudinally of said base, and spring means carried by and operatively connecting said pressure bars to resiliently urge the inner portions of said belts toward each other to clamp a strip therebetween.

4. In a strip polishing machine comprising a base and a motor-driven buffer supported on said base, strip-feeding means comprising a pair of driven pulleys rotatably mounted in side-by-side relationship on said base adjacent one end thereof, a pairof idler pulleys rotatably mounted in side-by-side relationship on said base adjacent the opposite end thereof, a pair of flat, endless belts each surrounding a respective driven pulley. I

and the opposite idler pulley, the inner portions of said belts being disposed inspaced-apart, substantially, parallel relationship longitudinally of said base, a pair of pressure bars disposed one at the outer side of the inner portion of each belt and extending between the corresponding driven and idler pulleys, means driving said driven pulleys in opposite directions to move the inner portions of said belts in the same direction longitudinally of said base, spring means carried by and operatively connecting said pressure bars to resiliently urge the inner portions of said belts I toward, each other into strip-clamping relationship, and a plurality of spaced-apart, anti-friction-rollers carried by each pressure bar and bearing against the outer sides of the inner portions of the corresponding belts.

, VERLEY C. CRAIG.

WILLIAM L. MCCLENNEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent? UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,205,314 Adams Nov. 21, 1916 1,269,370 Botenstein June 11, 1918 2,263,897 Makenny Nov. 25, 1941 

